It's clear from
Live that the Cheetahs have a musical kinship with Detroit and its gritty style of rock (both
the Stooges and the MC5 are covered here), but while the group has plugged into the city's adrenaline-driven style, they seemed to have substituted the R&B influences that affected
the Stooges and MC5 in favor of the straight-ahead noise of punk artists like the Dead Boys and
Johnny Thunders. The result is a loud, noisy affair that alternates between greasy rock hooks ("Miss Teen U.S.A.") and all-out noise ("Built for Speed"). But, perhaps most importantly,
Live captures the sheer joy and enthusiastic energy the Cheetahs have for rock & roll. The liner notes are great too.